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GORDON HENDERSON WELCOMES HELP FOR MOTORISTS

Local MP Gordon Henderson has welcomed the Coalition Government’s decision to scrap entirely the 3p per litre rise in fuel duty that was planned by the previous government.

The announcement was contained in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement, during which George Osborne explained that Britain’s economic recovery is taking longer because the damage is worse than was feared.

In addition to scrapping the fuel duty rise, rather simply postponing it until April as many people had called for, the Chancellor also announced critical measures that will be welcomed by many people living in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

For instance; the personal allowance will rise further, meaning people will keep more of the money they earn before income tax kicks in and small businesses rate relief has been extended for another year.

Gordon Henderson commented:

“In a week in which we have seen more job losses in my constituency, the decision to scrap the proposed 3P per litre planned for by the previous Labour government is much needed boost not only for private motorists, but also hard pressed companies.

“I was delighted to see that many working people will next year see an income tax cut and I know that local businesses will welcome the other measure the Chancellor announced, including the drop in corporation tax and the small business rate relief.

“Times are tough. But the economy is healing – and the measures announced today will bring welcome support to families and businesses in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Personal Allowance increase to £9,440. This change will benefit 3.5 million people in the South East, lifting 30,000 people in the South East out of income tax altogether.

State pension. 1.7 million pensioners in the South East will benefit from the £2.70 per week rise in the basic state pension.

Fuel duty. Cancelling the Fuel Duty rise planned for January 2013 will help the owners of the 5.6 million vehicles in the South East, saving a typical driver £40 per year. Fuel prices will stay 10p lower than under Labour’s plans.

Capital investment in roads. More than £270 million will be invested in roads, including linking the A5 to the M1 at Houghton Regis in Bedfordshire, reducing congestion at J30 on the M25 and introducing a managed motorway scheme between J2 and J4 of the M3.

Support for small businesses. The South East’s 767,000 small businesses will benefit from the Small Business Rate Relief being extended for another year from April 2013. Businesses in the South East will also benefit from increasing the Annual Investment Allowance limit from £25,000 to £250,000 for two years, as well as £25 million per year more for UK Trade and Investment’s export support to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.

£120 million invested in flood defences nationally. We will invest an additional £120 million in flood defences.This is in addition to £2.1 billion committed in 2010 which has seen construction started on flood defences that will improve protection for than 16,000 households in London and the South East.

Broadband investment. Brighton and Hove, Oxford and Portsmouth will receive a share of £50 million Government funding to deliver ultra-fast fixed broadband access and large areas of public wireless connectivity, subject to State Aid approval.

Science investment. The Government has announced £600 million of additional capital funding for science and technology funding. As announced in October 2012, the Government will invest in a £32 million partnership at the University of Oxford for a new centre to find potential new areas for drug research, a £138 million partnership at the University of Oxford to establish a new world-leading centre for targeted cancer research, and a more than £35 million partnership between the University of Surrey and communications industry leaders to build a new international research centre to support the development of 5th Generation cellular communications.